A Christmas Carol: Inside Out
by frustratedscientist94
Summary: Bill Andersen always had rough times at Christmas, but the loss of a good friend drove him to hate it. He caused suffering and despair to his family and others for five years, but one Christmas Eve, his dead friend warns him of a fate worst than death waiting for him and gets him a chance to escape it. The chance? To be haunted by three spirits. Takes place pre-movie.
1. Part 1

**A/N: Hey, guys! I'm here again to present another Christmas special! It is really close to Christmas now and this time I've had a lot of experience since my last Christmas special. The first part is written like a script. Just thought I'd let you know it'll be only the first part. Anyway, here we go!**

* * *

 _Hark! The Herald Angels Sing plays as_ _ **FrusteratedScientist Productions presents**_ _shows up in shining gold and in cursive and the camera pans closer to the Christmas Carol book by Charles Dickens lying on Riley's table in her room. As the song ends, the book opens to show the first page. We can hear a seven-year-old Riley read the first few lines._

Riley-"Marley was dead; to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it: and Scrooge's name was good upon 'Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail."

 _The camera shows the side of her head._

Jill-"Riley! Dinner's ready!"

Riley-"Coming!"

 _The camera pans over to the window and goes through it to show the snow falling from the cloudy sky and the ice-covered sidewalks and roads._ _The camera then goes to the outside of Brainard Funeral Home_ _, where Bill, Riley's father is taking care of his Manager, Julian Montgomery's, who he was close to and who took care of the company long distance from San Francisco, body and signing the death certificate._

Bill-"Yep. He's definitely dead as a door-nail."

funeral director- _(Reaching for the certificate)_ "Here. Sign this."

 _The camera shows the edge of the pin as Bill signed 'Bill Andersen'._

funeral director- _(receiving the signed certificate)_ "So, you're the only one in mourning?"

Bill-"He wasn't loved by many people."

Funeral director-"Oh. I see."

Bill-"How much?"

Funeral director-"Five thousand for a burial, five hundred for cremation."

Bill- _(sighs)_ "Cremation."

funeral director-"You sure?"

Bill-"Yeah."

funeral director-"Alright. Funeral service will be on Thursday. Merry Christmas!"

 _Without another word, Bill leaves the funeral home. As he leaves to go home, he sees carolers and stares at them like they were just released from prison until they stop. He walks on, and see a sleigh ride go by._

Bill-"Delinquents."

 _It plays God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen_ _as the camera goes through the city and shows what goes on in Minnesota at Christmas time. The title appears on screen in gold and in cursive._

* * *

 ** _A Christmas Carol: Inside Out_**

* * *

 _Also showing the actors, actresses, and the directer's names. The camera goes back to show the house as Bill enters it. The screen shows;_

* * *

 ** _Five Christmas Eves later_**

The once brightly lit Christmas house turned into a dimly lit house of horror. Bill was sitting at the kitchen table counting paychecks, seeing he's the Manager now that Julian is dead. Riley came down and peeked around the corner of the stairwell. Not long after, Bill turned to look at her and Riley bolted back upstairs to her room.

"Your dinner's ready," Jill sorrowfully said while placing the plate on the table.

He just looked at it in disgust.

* * *

"What? She expects us to _eat_ that?!" Bill's Anger asked in disappointment. "What does she think we are? Rabbits?!"

"She did try," Bill's Joy said in defense.

"Apparently, she didn't try hard enough, soldier!" Anger yelled. "You all know what to do."

They got ready as if they were launching a nuke, and had Bill criticize her food, terribly.

* * *

"And you expect me to eat this? Huh?" Bill asked.

"The doctor said-" Jill began.

"Said what? That I'm dying? And you go out of your way to TOURCHOR ME with THIS food the rest of my days?!" Bill yelled while standing up from his seat.

"I was only looking out for you..." Jill explained.

"It's MY JOB to look out for me! NOT YOUR'S! Your job is to fix me food. Nothing else!" Bill fought.

"You won't help yourself, so someone has to!" Jill said.

"ENOUGH!" Bill yelled as he brought his fist down on the table.

* * *

Riley, peeking over the railing of the stairs, gasped.

* * *

Joy also gasped, because the loving home she once knew had become a waking nightmare.

"Wha-" Joy began to wonder.

"Oh, that is IT!" Anger yelled, wondering over to the controls. "He canNOT do that!"

"NO! WAIT!" Fear yelled as he hit the controls at the same time Anger did and made a red and purple memory orb.

* * *

"Hey!" Riley started. "You really shouldn't...do that..."

"You! Get back upstairs before I come up there after you!" Bill yelled.

Riley widened her eyes and froze.

He heard a knock at the door before he could do anything. He answered it. Two men with light jackets on. One of the men was Bill nephew, Gil, who was eighteen.

"Yeah?" Bill asked.

"Merry Christmas, uncle!" Gil greeted as he stepped in.

"Only word I have to say about that is 'humbug'," Bill coldly said as he closed the door.

"'Humbug'? No one uses that word anymore," the other man laughed. "But, surely you don't mean that."

"No, I do," Bill said as he sat down. "And everyone who goes around with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should boil in his own pudding and buried with a stick of holly through his heart.

"Uncle!" Gil gasped.

"Nephew!" Bill snapped back. "Keep your Christmas in your own way and let me keep it in mine.

"Keep it? But you don't keep it!" Gil said.

"Let me leave it alone then!" Bill snapped. "Much good it's done you. Much good it'll ever do you."

"Don't be miserable, uncle! Come on! We're throwing a Christmas party! You and your family are invited!" Gil said.

"Party with you? Nah. I'll see you d*mned first!" Bill growled.

"Why? Why be so miserable, uncle? Why?" Gil asked.

"Why'd you ever get married?" Bill asked.

"Because I fell in love," Gil answered.

"Love? Heheheh! That's the only thing more ridiculous than a Merry Christmas," Bill said. "Good day."

"I don't want anything, uncle! Why can't we be friends?" Gil asked.

"Good. Day," Bill repeated.

"I'm sorry. But I still say Merry Christmas, uncle!" Gil said with glee.

"I said good day!" Bill repeated.

"And a Happy New Year!" Gil said.

"GOOD DAY!" Bill shouted.

"And very Merry Christmas to you, Jill! And I see you up there, Riley!" Gil said, shaking Jill's hand.

"Merry Christmas, Gil," Jill said.

"Merry Christmas, Gil!" Riley said from upstairs, peeking out from behind the corner of the stairs.

"I'll wait in the car," Gil said to the other man. "Good luck."

"So, what do you want?" Bill avoided.

"Uh...You know that we are with the church. We collect funds, food, or even gifts for the poor and homeless," the other man. "How much will you donate?"

"Nothing," Bill answered. "I want to be left alone. I'm unhappy at Christmas, I don't know why I should anyone else happy."

"Because Christmas is a kind, a charitable time! The only time of the year that people treat others like people and not savages!" the other man explained.

"Why don't you send them to prison for bumming a free meal?" Bill asked.

"Um...mister...quite frankly...many...would rather die..." the other man informed.

* * *

"The nerve of this guy!" Bill's Anger yelled. "Let it all out, gentlemen!"

* * *

"Good! Then let 'em! That'll lower the beggars!" Bill said.

They just looked at him, as well as Jill and Riley.

"Well...I guess I should go," the other man said.

"Yeah, you should," Bill said as he opened the door, letting him out.

He left for work shortly after the event and both Riley and Jill's emotions pondered what happened.

* * *

"Can anyone explain to me what in the world just happened?" Joy asked. "He seems, even more, heartless this Christmas than usual."

"Maybe we could suggest a divorce?" Anger suggested. "He deserves to be alone!"

"I'd hate to admit it, but Anger has a point," Joy said.

"But, w-what if he hunts us down?!" Fear asked.

"Fear, he may be heartless, but he isn't _that_ heartless," Disgust said.

"Doesn't this kind of remind of A Christmas Carol?" Joy asked.

"Is that the one about the three Christmas ghosts?" Sadness asked.

"G-g-g-ghosts?!" Fear stuttered.

"Yeah, but Fear, don't worry about it! It's just a book!" Joy said in a comforting tone.

"Well...if you say so, Joy," Fear said, calming down.

"Maybe that'll happen to _him_! That'll serve him right!" Anger blurted out.

"Forget it! Let's just go to bed," Joy said.

* * *

It was time to close up in the building. One person stayed behind to help, close to the most paid worker.

"I guess you'll want the whole day off tomorrow," Bill assumed.

"It's just once a year, sir," the worker, Damion Messer said.

"Yeah. That's not an excuse for robbing your boss ever 25th of December," Bill said. "Be here earlier the next morning."

"Yessir," Damion said while grabbing his jacket and heading home.

Bill turned off the lights and went home.

* * *

The hour was 20 hours, and Bill closed up the business building for the night and tomorrow because many employees refuse to work on Christmas. He had authority to close up because, as I've said before, his employer had been dead for five years. He came home and found all the lights were out. His wife and daughter were asleep. As he grabbed his keys and reached to open the lock, he noticed a humanoid face covering the center of the door.

* * *

Bill's Anger sat up in his seat and started to examine the face.

"Is that-? No!" Anger gasped. "Examine closer, men!

* * *

"Julian?" Bill asked as he leaned forward.

It disappeared into thin air, moments later.

"Ooookaaaay?" Bill said while unlocking the door.

He went in and as he grabbed something to eat and sat down to watch TV, he heard the rumbling of chains coming from the kitchen.

* * *

"Do you hear that? What is that?" Anger asked.

"Okay, Fear! Calm down! Calm down!" Fear said to himself.

* * *

Bill froze in place and looked on to the kitchen walkway. He saw the ghost of his former employer go through, with chains nearly reaching from the living room to the kitchen. When Bill had seen it, his eyes widened in terror.

"Bill Andersen..." the ghost said as Bill stood up and backed away.

* * *

'IT'S REAL! IT'S REAL! WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Bill's Fear screamed.

Anger got out of his seat and slapped him.

"GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF, MAN!" he yelled.

"O-okay..." Fear said. "I can do that...I can do that..."

"First things first," Anger said heading back to his seat. "Find out who this guy is."

* * *

"Who-who are you?" Bill asked the spirit.

"Ask me who I was," the ghost said.

"Who _were_ you?" Bill asked.

"In life, I was your employer, Julian Montgomery," Julian introduced.

"What do want from me?" Bill asked.

"Much," Julian answered. "You don't believe in me? Do you?"

"Nah. No, I don't," Bill answered. "The doctor said to limit my food because I have a weak stomach. Indigestion. Makes me hallucinate. For all I know, you could be the mustard on the hot dog I ate before heading home."

"The mustard? On your hot dog?" Julian asked, confused.

"Yeah," Bill answered. "Yeah, there's more gravy than a grave with you, whatever you are."

Julian howled loudly. Somehow, he didn't wake up Riley and Jill.

"Okay! Okay!" Bill pleaded with the spirit.

"NOW do you believe in me?!" Julian asked as he hovered over to him.

"I do! I do!" Bill answered as he cowered in the corner. "What do you want from me?! And why do you have that chain?!"

Julian got in his face and started to explain.

"This is a chain of every chain I forged in life. I created this. I created every length! Every yard!" Julian explained. "And if my chain is this lengthy, imagine the length and the weight of the chain _you_ bare. I witness torture every day, knowing I could've done something to prevent it! Oh! Woe was me! You've forged _your_ chain five Christmas Eves ago, and wore it ever since."

"I-I don't understand why, you've always been a good businessman," Bill said.

"Business?! MANKIND was my business! A COMMON WELFARE was my business! That's why I'm forced to wear this chain! And look upon the people I could've helped! The people I could've changed! The lives I've ruined, knowing I can't do anything to CHANGE that!" Julian cried. "I can't rest! I can't stay! I can't linger anywhere! Oh! WOE WAS ME!"

"Uh...is there...anyway I could...change it?" Bill asked.

"That's why I'm here. To tell you that you have a chance of escaping my fate! A chance of redemption!" Julian said.

"You always were a good friend, Julian," Bill said.

"You shall be haunted by three spirits," Julian said.

* * *

"Uh...what?" Anger asked while on the edge of his seat.

* * *

" _That's_ my chance? I don't think so," Bill said.

"It's the only way to escape my fate," Julian said. "Expect the first, tomorrow when the bell tolls one!"

"Can't you just...I don't know, have 'em swarm me? Have it over with?" Bill asked with a concerned look.

"Expect the second the following night the same hour," Julian ignored. "And the third and final one, the next night when the last stroke of twelve has ceased to vibrate."

As he finished, he went over to the window and opened it.

"Look to see me no more," Julian said as he flew out the window and into the sky.

Bill, stunned, he fell asleep onto the couch.

* * *

The clock sounded, and woke Bill up. He froze and waited a few moments for the first spirit. When a few moments has passed, he was about to say 'liar' when a blinding light shown from behind him. He looked and immediately covered his eyes. It was so bright, that his emotions couldn't even see anything.

"Are you what Julian told me about?" Bill asked.

"I am. And much more will be," the spirit answered.

"Who...are you?" Bill asked.

"I am the Spirit of Christmas Past," Past answered.

"Long...past?" Bill asked.

"No. Your past," the spirit answered. "Arise and walk with me."

The spirit grabbed Bill's hand and led him to the second story window, and to his surprise, his family was still asleep, never once woke up from all of the racket he and the current spirits were making. They reached the window.

"No! I-I'll fall!" Bill pleaded.

"No, you won't," the spirit reassured. "All I must do is to touch your heart."

The spirit touched the exact location that Bill's heart was and the house started to disappear and a snowy ground and trees appeared underneath him and across from him.

* * *

"Okay, what just happened?" Anger asked himself and the rest of the crew.

"We have no clue, sir!" Fear informed. "We've never seen anything like it!"

"What is happening to us?" Anger asked himself.

* * *

They turned around, and Bill saw his schoolmates go by in mustangs singing Christmas carols.

"Wait...I _know_ them!" Bill shouted with glee. "I know every single one of them! They went to school with me!"

He then saw his best friend go by.

"Joeseph? Hey! Joe!" Bill called but didn't get any answer.

"We are merely the shadows of the past. These are the shadows of the things that have been," the spirit informed him. "Let's go. We have more to do."

They went to his old school, to witness one boy that never went home. Bill sat down at a desk near the boy.

"Is this you?" the spirit asked, knowing that it was.

"Yes," Bill answered. "I never went home that Christmas."

"Why?" the spirit asked, already knowing the answer.

"My...father didn't want me around after my mother died," Bill sorrowfully explained. "He was miserable, turned on me. I don't blame him. I would've done the same thing."

Bill focused his eyes on the ground.

"Let's see another Christmas," the spirit said.

They saw the building age around them, like a bad tomato.

* * *

"I am just a lost for words, men," Anger said.

"We are too," Bill's Disgust said, whilst staring in awe.

* * *

Bill looked to see himself a year older at the front of the classroom pacing, wondering why his father didn't want him. Suddenly, Bill's little sister burst through the door.

"Billy! Billy!" his sister chanted while running toward him.

"Sarah?" Bill's younger self asked in disbelief as he went over to hug Sarah.

"Dad's changed, Billy!" Sarah said gleefully.

"What?" young Bill asked.

"He changed! Dad actually sent me to get you! In a cab!" Sarah explained.

Young Bill hugged his sister and went out to the taxi. Bill and the spirit watched.

"That your sister?" the spirit asked, knowing that it was.

"Yes," Bill answered.

"She had children," the spirit said.

"One kid," Bill said. "Gil. She died in childbirth and his father, my brother-in-law looked after him. He died after Gil turned eighteen."

"More Christmases await," the spirit said while dragging Bill to the next Christmas.

"I know this! This is where I used to work as a teenager!" Bill said in front of a fancy restaurant.

"Let's go on," the spirit said, leading him inside the establishment.

As he saw his old employer and friend, which both were dead, he was enthralled.

"There's my old boss! He's alive again! He called himself 'Grill Servo' to the customers. He wanted to be entertaining so the people in his restaurant would feel at home. His real name was Sam Langton. He was Irish or Scottish. I couldn't figure out which and I never asked." Bill told the spirit. "And over there, waiting the table next to mine, is my best friend, John Williams. He died a couple of years after this by cancer."

"When?" the spirit asked, knowing when.

"December 25th," Bill answered.

The clock sounded.

"Hahahaha! Christmas time, boys!" Sam shouted with excitement in his voice. "Time for our little Christmas bash! Haha! See if you can get the customers to help get it set up!"

"Alright, Bill," John said with a grin on his face. "I'll get the customers, you get the band and the decoration, and such. Alright?"

"Alright," teen Bill said, hurrying to get the party stuff.

"Okay, guys! Christmas time! Could some of you help me get the Christmas party started?" John asked.

Many of the customers jumped up almost immediately to help.

* * *

Later, Christmas music of the 90s plays as everyone was up and dancing, drinking, having fun. The spirit and Bill were observing. As they finished, Sam sang one of those songs that make you wonder why it was even written and Bill's sister arrived. Teen Bill took her coat and hugged her.

"She loved you more than anything in the world," the spirit said.

"I know," Bill said.

"Let's move on to another Christmas," the spirit said.

* * *

"Geez! This guy! Changes Christmases every five minutes!" Anger said.

* * *

Next thing Bill knew, the scene changed to a snowy park. They watched as teen Bill walked with his sister.

"As far as I'm concerned, only the people who pursue a passion of wealth should be allowed in Minnesota," teen Bill said. "The poor are the ones who commit robbery and such. It'd be safer."

"You fear the world too much, Bill," Sarah said. "You only care about being rich. One passion which is money."

"I may have become wiser, but I haven't changed, have I?" teen Bill asked.

"The Bill I know's gone. I want my bigger brother back," Sarah pled.

"Back then, I was a boy. I'm a man now," teen Bill said.

"There's no use in trying to change you," Sarah said. "You're too far gone. I don't know you anymore!"

Sarah got up and left.

"No! No!" Bill mumbled. "Go after her!"

Teen Bill thought of it but didn't.

"GO AFTER HER!" Bill yelled. "WHY DOESN'T HE GO AFTER HER?!"

Sarah disappeared into the snow.

"You never spoke to her again, have you?" the spirit spoke up.

"She died without another word to me," Bill said. "Take me home! Stop torturing me!"

* * *

He arrived at the stairs of the house, followed by the spirit. He turned to face her.

"STOP FOLLOWING ME!" Bill yelled.

He went down to her, grabbed her cap and covered the light with it. He pulled it over the spirit, and the light just showed through, blinding him.


	2. Part 2

**A/N: I decided to divide this into two parts, seeing its over six-thousand words if I don't. Here's part two!**

* * *

He suddenly woke up on the couch and waited anxiously for the next.

"Andersen!" someone from behind him spoke.

He jerked around to see who it was, and it was the next spirit; the spirit of Christmas Present. The whole room behind him was lit up with Christmas decorations, and the spirit was sitting on kind of a throne made up of gold.

"Get up! Get up and know me better, man!" the spirit said.

Bill did what the spirit commanded him to do.

"Haven't you seen anything like this?" the spirit asked.

"No. Not in _this_ house," Bill answered, looking astonishingly at everything.

* * *

"How did all of that get there?" Anger asked.

"I suppose that he put it all up," Fear said.

"While we were sleeping?" Anger asked. "No way."

* * *

The spirit laughed, and introduced, "I am the ghost of Christmas Present. Haven't you met the others of my family? My eighteen brothers who proceeded me?"

"Eighteen? Wouldn't _That_ be a family to provide for," Bill stated.

The spirit got angry and stood up.

* * *

"Uh oh. We're in trouble now," Anger sarcastically said.

* * *

"Spirit, I didn't mean anything by it," Bill apologized. "Show me what you want to, but be quick, please? I just want this over with so I can crawl into my bed and go to sleep."

"Touch my robe," the spirit said.

Bill did, and immediately they were at the market. The spirit started blessing the food of the poor there with water in his holder in his right arm (don't know what it's called).

"Why are you sprinkling water on the food? You blessing it?" Bill asked.

"Yes. I am," the spirit answered. "To the poor most of all."

"Why them?" Bill asked.

"Because they need it most," the spirit answered.

He led Bill to his assistant's house, it's sort of like the Ghetto, where he lives, but it looks more like the old London villages.

"Where are we going now?" Bill asked.

"Damion Messer's house," the spirit answered.

"My _assistant_ Damion Messer?" Bill asked shocked.

"Yes, your fifteen dollar a week assistant who's mocked and challenged for his Christian name, and yet I, the ghost of Christmas Present, am going to bless him," the spirit explained.

* * *

"Well, _that's_ not fair!" Anger exclaimed.

* * *

The spirit sprinkled some of his water onto the door. After that was done, Bill looked in to see that Damion was married and had four children, that he could see. If it's worth mentioning, they were British. They were singing a song, one of those cute little songs you only sing with your parents.

" _How's about a little bit of fun? Yesterday, a band took the bun. In came the broken men to collar off your sticks, but we were up to all their tricks. We've all been havin' a go with them, we've all been havin' a go! One's in the dust coal minus pants, the other's gone home in an ambulance. Oh, good gracious! Didn't we make a shout? Seventeen of us besides myself, and we've all been havin' a go! Oh, we've all been havin' a go! Yeah, we've all been havin' a go!"_

"Dad should be home any minute with Jack," Mrs. Messer, who's first name was Caroline, said. "There he is."

Damion came galloping in with his fifth, and youngest, child, Jack riding on his shoulder, pretending he's a horse. Damion even made horse sound effects for Jack. He then set him down at his chair and went over and kissed his wife.

"How's he been?" Caroline asked.

"Good as gold. And better," Damion answered. "Isn't that right, Jack?"

"Yup!" Jack answered.

"Well, of course, _you'd_ agree with him on that part," Caroline said with a grin.

Jack just laughed.

"Timothy, why don't you get Jack ready for dinner? Will you?" Damion asked his oldest son.

"Sure," Timothy agreed to do so. "Come on, Jack. Let's get you cleaned up."

Timothy left with his younger brother. There's three boys in the family, only two girls. The first born was Margret, then Jamey, then Dominic, then James, then the last one born was Jack.

I didn't know he had a crippled son," Bill said.

"Why didn't you ask?" the spirit asked.

"You know, he thinks so much when he has the time," Damion said with a smile. "He said that he hopes that people saw him at church because he's a cripple. Said that it'd do them good to remember who was born on Christmas. The One who made the crippled walk and the blind man see."

"Not many remember that I can assure you," Caroline said while setting the table.

"He's getting better by the day," Damion said.

Timothy came in with his brother and, along with Jack, started asking for the goose and if it was ready.

"Almost, kids," Caroline said.

They sat down and started chanting for the goose. When Caroline got it out and set it on the table, everyone applaud, considering that it's the only goose they've been able to afford, but they still couldn't afford a Christmas turkey. Caroline started to carve it and fixed the plates. They all complimented the goose.

"It does smell good," Bill said.

* * *

"For a poor family," Anger said.

* * *

"It was a wonderful feast, Caroline," Damion complimented.

"That's not all," Caroline said while getting out the dessert.

"The pudding!" Jack yelled in excitement.

She got it out, and everyone applauded again.

She cut off a piece, and said, "Pass that to you father."

They passed it to Damion.

He tried it and said, "This is without a doubt the best thing you've made since we were married."

"You sure? I wasn't too sure about the boiling temperature," Caroline said with a smile.

"Tell me. Will Jack live?" Bill asked.

"I see a vacant seat in the corner, and a crutch without an owner...carefully preserved," the spirit answered.

"Please! Will there be any way he can live?" Bill asked.

"Not if things remain unaltered," the spirit answered. "But so what if it happens? If he's going to die, good. That'll lower the beggars, right? Man, if you'd be a man for once, and forbear that wicked saying, you'd find out who the beggars really are and where they are!"

"A toast! To Bill Andersen! Founder of the feast!" Damion said with his glass raised.

"Did you say, Bill Andersen, founder of the feast?" Caroline asked.

"Caroline-" Damion started but was cut off.

"I wish I had him here!" Caroline said in anger. "I'd give him a piece of my mind to feast on! You know I'll never drink the health of such a stingy, selfish, hard, unfeeling man and Mr. Andersen! You know he is, Damion! Nobody knows it better than you!"

"Caroline...Christmas day?" Damion asked.

"I'll drink to his health for your sake and for the days, not for his," Caroline said. "Long life to him. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year."

Damion sighed and raised his glass again.

"Long life to him! Merry Christmas, Mr. Andersen!" he said, followed by his kids.

"He'll be about as merry as a groundhog in the rain," Caroline joked.

"Now let's forget him, and enjoy ourselves!" Dominic said.

"Give us a song, Jack," Damion suggested.

Jack took in a breath and let the song go out as an exhale.

" _Silent Night. Holy Night. All is calm. All is bright. Round yon Virgin, mother, and child. Holy Infant so tender and mild. Sleep in Heavenly peace! Sleep in Heavenly peace."_

The spirit took Bill to a lighthouse, to show him that everyone, danger or not, is celebrating Christmas the correct way; by remembering Christ.

" _Silent night! Holy night! Shepards quake at the sight. Glories stream from Heaven afar. Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia! Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born!"_

He then took Bill to a fishing boat in the middle of raging water.

" _Nuit silencieuse nuit sainte Fils de Dieu, lumière pure de l'amour Rayons rayonnants de ta sainte face Avec l'aube de la grâce rédemptrice. (_ Silent night, holy night. Son of God, love's pure light! Radiant beams from Thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace.) _"_

He then took his to a coal mine, who's miners were just heading home at near to midnight.

" _Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth! Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth!"_

* * *

After the songs, the spirit took Bill to his nephew's house, where he could hear the sound of laughter growing.

"Y'know he actually brought back the word 'humbug'!" Gil said to his five friends who came over for Christmas and his wife while laughing.

"He didn't mean it, did he?" one of his friends, Kyle asked.

"Oh, yeah. He did," Gil answered. "And he believes it."

"I never could stand him, Gilbert," Gil's wife said. "If he's like that, why's his daughter so caring and sweet?"

"He wasn't always like this. He was once caring. A good father," Gil said.

Bill looked at the spirit, who frowned disappointedly at him.

"Anyway, I can. I feel sorry for him," Gil said. "Who suffers from it? Only himself. By not eating with us, he's surely lonely back in his dusty old house."

He left to get the punch bowl and was followed by his wife, Tiffany plus the spirit and Bill.

"Why don't you say anything against him, Gilbert?" Tiffany asked.

"Because, despite it all, he's my uncle and I love the hateful old fart," Gil said with a grin.

* * *

"Wait, did he say he 'loves' us?" Anger asked.

"Yes, sir... He did," Fear answered.

"Bu-How? We've treated him like trash, his wife like trash...and he still loves us?" Anger commented.

* * *

"We must go," the spirit said.

He led Bill outside and far off into an alleyway.

* * *

"Bill, my time is nearly done," the spirit said. "And nearly time for the next spirit."

Bill looked down and noticed something under the spirit's robe.

"I-I see something underneath your robe. Is it a foot...or a claw?" Bill asked.

"It may be a claw, for what's attached to it is a dreadful sight," the spirit said before opening the robe to reveal two beings that looked like a 10-year-old boy and girl but acted like animals.

* * *

"What in the world _are_ they?" Anger asked.

"We cannot identify, sir!" Fear reported. "They look like kids, but I'm not entirely sure."

* * *

"Are they your kids?" Bill asked while fear filled him.

"These are mans. This boy is ignorance. This girl is want. Beware the both of them but most of all beware the boy. For I see that written on his head which is doom," the spirit warned.

The bell rang to the twelfth hour and the Spirit of Christmas Present disappeared.

Moments later, a grim reaper looking being showed with a cloak, covering his face, arms, and the rest of him.

"Are you the one who'll show me the things that are going to happen?" Bill asked.

The spirit nodded.

"The time is special to me. Lead me to what you're gonna show me," Bill said.

Before he knew it, he was in San Francisco.

"What are we doing here? This isn't where we live," Bill said.

The spirit led him to a group of people talking.

"So, when'd he die?" one of the men asked.

"Sometime around Christmas Eve," another one of the men answered.

"I was actually starting to think he was immortal," one of them said. "So, who'll get his money?"

"His family, I guess," another of them answered. "But if they don't want it, the government will take it."

"Well, crap. I was hoping it could be auctioned off or something," one of the said.

"You can't auction money, dude," another one of them said. "Well, anyway, Merry Christmas, guys!"

The group departed and the spirit took him to a bed with a silhouette underneath the covers.

"I know what you want me to do, but I can't," Bill said. "Show me some sadness with this."

The spirit created a vision of Damion Messer back in Minnesota.

"I wish you could've gone with me, It'd be good for you," Damion said.

"Why'd you even go?" Caroline asked with anger in her voice.

"One of the reasons is that I've...promised little Jack that I'd...Go there...every Sunday," Damion said, tearing up and crying at the end of his sentence.

"Dad, don't be sad," Margret said while crying.

"I'm alright, just grieving," Damion said. "We'll never forget him."

Damion went upstairs and cried while kneeling at Jack's bed.

* * *

The emotions were silent. Everyone was on the verge of tears.

* * *

"Spirit...I need to know...who was the man on that bed?" Bill asked.

The spirit brought him there within the blink of an eye. Into the San Francisco National Cemetery.

"Let me ask you this!" Bill yelled over the thunder. "Are these the shadows of the things that _will_ be...or shadows of the things that _may_ be?! I can change it all when I wake up! Is. That. Correct?!"

The spirit pointed at the scenario in front of him. It shown a pregnant 30-year-old Riley place a flower onto his grave.

"Oh, dad...why weren't you more caring?" Riley said, about to cry. "Now, I've gotta tell my kids that you were a great guy, to spear them of the thought that their grandfather...was a jerk."

Riley's husband hugged her and she let out a sob. Bill looked at the grave and it read: Bill Andersen-June 10th-December 24th.

* * *

The emotions gasped in shock and fright.

* * *

"Am...am I the man who's on that bed?" Bill asked.

The spirit nodded.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Bill denied. "Look!"

Bill dropped to his knees before the spirit.

"I'M NOT THE MAN I WAS!" Bill yelled. "WHY ARE YOU SHOWING ME THIS IF IT'LL HAPPEN ANYWAY?! OH! LET ME ERASE THIS STONE FROM THE PLOT!"

* * *

Bill woke up on his couch back home in Minnesota with a small scream.

"My Living Room!" Bill excitedly observed the surrounding. "My couch! My TV! Everything's here!"

Bill slowly when to pinch himself.

When he had felt the sharp pain, he exclaimed, "I'm here! Those were just the things that would've happened. I'll change them. I _know_ I will!"

Bill started to laugh hysterically.

"I don't know...what day it is!" he laughed. "I don't...know...anything!"

He got up and started to call for his family.

"Jill! Riley, honey!" Bill called.

He got no answer.

"Jill must've taken Riley to go shopping or something," Bill assumed

He got dressed and got his coat and gloves and went out the door. He patted the heads of the young, he gave to the poor and even went to the shelter and donated there, he did a lot of amazing deeds that day, he made up for all of the days that he hated the world and everyone in it. he then went to the nearest store to get a turkey. He brought it to Damion's house, knocked on the front door, and left swiftly.

Damion opened it, and immediately asked himself, "What the-how'd this...I'm not complaning!"

Damion took it in with excitement and Bill could hear laughter from where he was standing. He smiled and walked off to the nearest chuch. He sang God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen with the Congregation and stayed the rest of the service. When he left, He went home to see if Riley and Jill were back, and sure enough, they were.

He burst through the door, and said gleefully, "Merry Christmas!"

His family looked at him, stunned.

* * *

"HE'S LOST IT! HE'S GONNA KILL US ALL!" Fear yelled as he lept towards the consol.

"Wait! WAIT, Fear!" Joy yelled. "I think he's being sincier!"

* * *

"Did...you just say...Merry Christmas?" Jill asked, kind of scared that he _was_ going to kill them.

"Yes! I'm a changed man! No more dark, dimly lit Christmases! Next year is gonna be different! Next year, there _will_ be decorations! There _will_ be gifts! Everything that I've lacked will change!"

* * *

"See? Told ya!" Joy said.

* * *

They hugged and joyful tears streamed down their faces. After that, he, Riley, and Jill went streight to his nephew, Gilbert's house to join him to dine. He knocked on the door, and when Gil answered it, laughing, there was a silence for about a minute.

"Gil," Bill said. "I-It's me. I-I've accepted your invatation. I'm sorry I've treated you like complete garbage for the past five years...will you forgive me?"

Gil formed a smile from ear to ear, and said, "Forgive you? Of course I'll forgive you!"

He brought him in and everyone clapped, because the old Bill Andersen has passed, and a new Bill Andersen was born. The kids there played with Riley, the adults joked and laughed with Bill and Jill, everything was perfect now.

* * *

"Alright, men!" Bill's Anger said while Bill was looking at his office clock. "I got an idea! Let's scare Damion half to death by pretending to fire him! Let's go!"

* * *

"Five minutes late..." Bill said. "He'll never see it coming."

Damion quietly rushed through the door and to his workstation, and acted as if he was already there.

"Did you think I didn't see you, Messer?" Bill called.

"No, sir," Damion replied. "I was making rather merry yesterday, if you...know what I...mean..."

"Well, Messer, I've put up with this crap long enough," Bill said, getting up out of his seat.

* * *

"HE'S GONNA FIRE US! WHAT DO WE DO?!" Damion's Fear asked.

"I don't know! You're the lead!" Damion's Disgust said.

"THIS IS TOO MUCH PRESSURE!" Fear yelled.

* * *

"So, then...I'm gonna raise your salary!" Bill said followed by a laugh. "Merry Christmas, Damion!"

"W-what?" Damion asked to see if he heard right.

"That's right! I'm gonna raise your salary and help your family in any way I can, Damion! Especially your son!" Bill said.

"I-I don't know what-" Damion started.

"Don't. I'm changed! Now, let's get to work!" Bill said with a smile on his face.

"Yes, sir!" Damion said with a huge smile on _his_ face.

* * *

Gilbert-"So, from then on, he became a good friend, a good, boss, and a good uncle. The best that Minnesota ever knew. To Jack, who _didn't_ die, he was like a second father! So, then! As Jack would say:"

* * *

"Alright, you all know what to do!" Jack's Joy said with glee.

* * *

"May God bless us! Everyone!" Jack said.

Damion and his family, Bill and his family, and Gilbert and hisfamilyallwentinto the church together,gladandeger for the days to come. Merry Christmas!

* * *

 **THE END**


End file.
